We hope that this website would expose you to things you have never heard of, things you have never seen and things you could have never imagined about Istanbul.

We love this chaotic city where the east meets the west; where civilizations only clash in the delicious recipes of Turkish chefs and most importantly where we have been lucky enough to have built our lives on a 8500 years old heritage.

We hope you enjoy Istanbulite Mag as much as we enjoy putting it together!

Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern, Yerebatan, A Mystery of the East

Being the largest of Istanbul, the Basilica Cistern, (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) is Istanbul’s most extraordinary tourist attractions in the Sultanahmet district.

Experience Istanbul: Unique and Alternative Things to Do in the City

. When we travel abroad, we want to be a part of the local daily life and start searching for things to do... In this post, we will inspire you with your Istanbul itinerary.

Istanbul Modern Café Offers Artfully Crafted Cuisine

Istanbul Modern, the city's first modern art museum, sits over the deep-blue waters of the mythical Bosphorus and hosts many of the country's premier art exhibitions and events.

The Captivating Style Of Istanbul

"In Istanbul, remains of a glorious past civilization are everywhere visible. ... The great mosques and other monuments of the city, as well as the lesser detritus of empire in every side street and corner -- the little arches, fountains and neighborhood mosques -- inflict heartache on all who live among them."

Where to Eat in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar

We like to think of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar – open since 1461 – as the world's oldest shopping mall. If that's the case, shouldn't the Grand Bazaar be home to the world's oldest food court?

July 23, 2015

One of the world’s oldest luxury hotels, the Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah in Istanbul, will host the “Black Week Turkey” event on Oct. 22-24 in honor of Agatha Christie’s 125th birthday with the attendance of the famous author’s grandson and a number of leading crime fiction authors.

The internationally renowned crime fiction festival this year, for the first time, will be held in the Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah, where the cultural richness of the festival will be augmented by a diverse body of guest speakers, including Christie’s grandson Matthew Prichard, and special events which will be held in Christie’s honor.

July 17, 2015

Luxury Launches and Istanbul’s Grand Tarabya Hotel, of the Leading Hotels of the World portfolio, have specially crafted an itinerary for all our globe trotters this season. Of course, this itinerary covers all aspects of your favourite Turkish destination; think dining, shopping and exploring some of the most well-known secrets of this bustling city.

But more about the city- with its historical peninsula, numerous scenic and historical beauties, Istanbul is a magnificently unique city that has been capital to many civilizations from past to present and still continues to be home to residents from all over the world.

Europe and Asia meet in Istanbul, and throughout this vibrant city, you’ll find traditional and religious landmarks happily co-existing with modern restaurants, galleries and nightclubs.

Must Try Dish: The Meze

The best dish is arguably the Meze – a selection of traditional Middle Eastern and Turkish savoury dips. The mezesare is usually placed at the middle of the table and shared. Toasted bread complements the various dishes. This is aherbivore centric meal.

July 16, 2015

ARTINTERNATIONAL, Istanbul's global contemporary and modern art fair, has today announced participating galleries for its third edition. Returning to the Haliç Congress Center, on the banks of Istanbul's Golden Horn, ARTINTERNATIONAL will take place between 4 and 6 September, and feature 88 galleries from 24 countries, with 13 from the fair's host country.

PARTICIPATING GALLERIES

ARTINTERNATIONAL received a record number of applicants this year and the selection was assessed by the fair's Selection Committee consisting of LEILA HELLER GALLERY, New York; GALERIE KRINZINGER, Vienna; PI ARTWORKS, Istanbul & London and RAMPA, Istanbul.
Participants come from 24 countries spanning Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, Central Asia, India and China. Several galleries will be attending for the fair for the first time including VICTORIA MIRO (London), SAKSHI GALLERY (Mumbai), ASPAN GALLERY (Almaty), GARLERIE DU MONDE (Hong Kong) and AICON GALLERY (New York & London).
Turkish galleries KUAD, ÖKTEM&AYKUT and THE EMPIRE PROJECT will participate for the first time, joining previous participants: .artSümer, DIRIMART, GALERIST, GALLERY NEV ANKARA, PI ARTWORKS, SANATORIUM, RAMPA, X-IST and GALERI ZILBERMAN.

Fair director Dyala Nusseibeh commented, "ARTINTERNATIONAL, which last year received over 22,000 visitors, is fast establishing a reputation as a fair of discovery. We are pleased to have regional galleries from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia joining us alongside galleries from further afield in September. Istanbul continues to be a dynamic global hub for art and this is reflected in the diverse, exciting quality of works being presented at the fair. This year's edition coincides with the official opening of the 14th Istanbul Biennial and we look forward to welcoming an audience of collectors, curators, arts professionals and art lovers for what promises to be an enormously vibrant week for art in Istanbul."

July 15, 2015

Istanbul isn't just about historic monuments. The city is fast becoming known for its excellent art scene, with galleries like the impressive Istanbul Modern leading the way in presenting modern and contemporary art to locals and visitors alike, and many smaller galleries following suit. Long-established museums such as the almost overwhelming Istanbul Archaeology Museums still draw the crowds with exquisite objects like the Alexander Sarcophagus, while others offer eye-opening insights into Turkey’s artistic heritage.